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New Year's Resolution

We have a new year approaching:

A.D.2011 is upon us.
A year is an appreciable amount of time: 365.242 days.

Presumably you want the year 2011 to be better than 2010:

You would like to see improvements to your financial situation: more money would be helpful.
You would like to feel improvements to your health: more energy, not less
You would like to make improvements to your levels of attractiveness: we all want to feel more attractive.

i.e. You would like good things to happen!

It is for these reasons that we make New Year's resolutions

Instinctively we know that, if we want our future to get better: then we have BE better.
If you want better health, then you'll need better health habits.
If you want better finances, then you'll need to control your spending habits.
If you want more money, then you'll have to improve your work habits.

BUT here is the catch:

Most people don't take New Year's resolutions seriously
Many reduce their resolutions to a feeble joke.

At 00.01 on 1st January John makes a light weight "resolution" to lose weight by NOT eating mass quantities of chocolate and cakes. On or before the end of 3rd January, you see him eating two snickers bars.

John's resolution was a joke. John is a joke.

Your resolutions should not be taken as a joke

A resolution is a firm and definite commitment to do (or cease from doing) some specific act.
Consequently, just one of your resolutions has the potential to be a wonderful tool for personal development.
But only if the resolution is taken as a resolution, not as a joke.

How can you make yourself follow through on your resolution?

Here are the steps:

1. Ensure the resolution relates to something fundamental, not trivial

For example, a resolution to eat Mars bars rather than Bounty bars is not worth the thought.

Make your resolutions and commitments only on the BIG ISSUES:

Running five miles a week

Make decisions for yourself based on a logical analysis of the facts: rather than avoiding your fears, or following the crowd.

Being on time for everything

Eat correctly

Write and speak with more forethought and skill.

2. Make two lists.

With your resolution in mind, take a piece of paper and a pen and write two lists.

2a. What benefits will you get IF you do follow through on your commitment. Name at least 10 benefits.
2b. All the penalties and upsets you can expect if you break your resolution and go back to your old ways. List five.

3. Put the lists where you can see them

Put the resolution and the two lists where you can see them, and read it to yourself every day twice a day for the whole of January.

4. If you falter

If you falter and break your resolution, don't say to yourself, "Okay I've failed, now let's get back to the old ways, pass those chocolates, and let's PARTY"
Say, "I didn't keep to it today: I must be doubly vigilant tomorrow."

5. Don't tell other people

Don't tell people what your resolutions are: WHY not tell people your resolutions?
Because some of your closest "friends" will try to make you fail by sabotaging your efforts.

WHY?

Because, it will annoy some of them that you are making improvements: it will annoy them because they know that THEY ARE NOT making any improvements: So rather than improving their performance (which takes effort) they would rather knock you off your track, (which is more fun).

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